How Dangerous Is It?

Just looking at this plant should be enough to convince anyone, and it’s not just the spines, but the bright yellow warning flowers too. All of this is enough to ensure that Buffalo Burr is only a big concern during drought conditions. The thorns would do an amazing amount of mechanical damage to the mouth & throat of any animal crazy enough to eat the stuff. On top of all this, Buffalo Burr contains a glycoalkaloid which affects the central nervous system & digestive tract.

Stems, leaves and unripe berries are toxic and can be fatal to equines.

What To Look For

You know your animal the best, so you should know when something is amiss. Buffalo Burr toxicity symptoms can include dilation of pupils, loss of appetite, loss of coordination, diarrhea, weakness, respiratory problems, drooling & unconsciousness.

Learn More

Be sure to check out the Buffalo Burr page to learn more about the plant and while you are at it why not check out more toxic plants?

*It should be noted that I’m not a veterinarian. This information is written specifically for horses and should be used for reference purposes only. If you think your horse has eaten something toxic call your vet right away.